The government today said that at present it does not have any plans to ban all diesel cars in Delhi and convert them into CNG-driven vehicles.

In a written reply, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar informed Lok Sabha that the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (ECPA) for the National Capital Region in in its report in the year 2007 in the matter of a writ petition to the Supreme Court had recommended that use of diesel in personal transport vehicles in the city of Delhi, need to be stopped.

“Later…a report dated February 14, 2014 of EPCA is filed in the Supreme Court wherein ECPA has suggested the introduction of stringent measures for Vehicular Policy including framing of various norms, imposition of heavy taxes on purchase of new vehicles, restriction on number of vehicles in National Territory of Delhi as well as regulation of traffic coming from the neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan,” he said.

“Presently, the government does not have any plans to ban all diesel cars in Delhi and convert them into CNG,” he said.

The Minister said Indian vehicles are designed for optimum performance of emissions and fuel efficiency in the Indian conditions.

“From the technology perspective, vehicles in India are at par with international technologies, as several of the vehicle models are exported and many of the international brands are also imported in Inida,” he said.

The Minister, however, said because of various reasons, such as quality of fuel, traffic condition, road conditions and driving behaviour, fuel efficiency of the vehicles achieved in the country may vary.

Referring to a report submitted by an expert committee on Auto Fuel Vision and Policy 2025, he said this expert committee has submitted its detailed recommendation to address the vehicular pollution through a long-term emission road map till 2025.

“It has been recommended that for four wheelers BS IV emission norms will be implemented from the year 2017 onwards across the country, while BS V and BS VI emission norms will be implemented from the years 2020-21 and 2024, respectively,” he said.